The European Union on Monday pledged to take on a major role in planned talks on the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and urged Israel for further steps on commitments made to the Palestinian government, according to dpa. The EU "stands ready to play an active role" in an international Middle East peace conference in autumn proposed by the United States and backed by Mideast mediators last week, EU foreign ministers said in a statement after a meeting in Brussels. EU top diplomat Javier Solana said that the idea of such a conference had always been in the mind of the EU and that the bloc was "completely in favour of it." German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier told reporters that the meeting would be an opportunity to draw conclusions "on how we can move ahead on the way to a two-state solution." While EU foreign chiefs welcomed Israel's recent move to release 255 Palestinian prisoners and the partial transfer of Palestinian tax and custom revenues, they called for "the immediate, complete and regular release of the remaining and future funds." The EU-27 also urged Israel "to take further steps to meet the commitments" towards the Palestinians, including a removal of checkpoints and barriers in the West Bank. Ministers confirmed the EU's "full support" for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Like the US, the EU has pledged to improve the clout and standing of Abbas and his moderate Fatah movement. "Reconciliation and national unity behind the programme of peace articulated by President Abbas are the only way to achieve Palestinian national goals by peaceful, lawful and democratic means," ministers said. "The EU opposes any division of the Palestinian Territories and confirms its readiness to engage with all Palestinian parties whose policy and actions reflect the (Mideast) Quartet principles," they said.
